Google Launches 5 AI Sustainability Initiatives in India
Google has unveiled five India-focused initiatives using AI and technology to advance rooftop solar, clean energy, climate-smart farming and environmental innovation.
Google has announced five new sustainability initiatives in India that use artificial intelligence, satellite imagery and other technologies to address challenges involving solar energy, farming, water, climate research and waste management.
A major development is the expansion of Google’s Solar API, which can now provide rooftop solar insights for more than 300 million rooftops across India. The AI-powered tool can help solar installers assess rooftops remotely, design systems and prepare customer proposals. Platforms including Solar Ladder and OpenSolar are already using the technology.
Google has also signed a long-term agreement with ReNew Power for a 150MW solar project in Rajasthan, taking its contracted solar capacity with the company in India to 300MW.
In agriculture, Google is partnering with Mitti Labs on a project involving tens of thousands of smallholder rice farmers in Telangana. The initiative will promote Alternate Wetting and Drying, a technique designed to reduce methane emissions and water use in rice cultivation. Google estimates the project could mitigate nearly 3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent over 20 years.
The company is also expanding its Center for Climate Technology to include water stewardship, e-waste and battery recycling. Additionally, four Indian startups have been selected for Google DeepMind’s AI for the Planet accelerator, working on areas such as farming, biodiversity and carbon management.
